Page 73 - AAE GENERAL REPORT - March 2024

The 7th Arab Reading Challenge, which concluded in October 2023, saw the record
participation of 24.8 million students from 46 countries, and continued to encourage a

love of reading among students as a means to spread awareness of its importance,
promote values of tolerance and moderation, and create a new generation of creative

minds.

Other achievements included the 8th Knowledge Summit, organized by Mohammed bin

Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation and the UN Development Programme
under the theme ‘Knowledge Cities and the 5th Industrial Revolution’, and the Digital

School’s expansion in 2023 to benefit over 108,000 students in 8 countries.

Spending under the Innovation & Entrepreneurship pillar in 2023 amounted to AED 138
million, up AED 10 million from 2022, and benefited 1.2 million people.

Projects under this pillar aim to cement the status and the UAE as destinations that
keep up with accelerated digital transformation and help communities make the

necessary change needed for a better, sustainable future.

Achievements included the 1st Great Arab Minds edition announced its first-ever winner
in a bid to support scientific and knowledge innovations in the Arab World. Additionally,
MBRGI partnered with the World Economic Forum to launch the Food Innovation Hub

UAE; an initiative aims to accelerate and expand the scope of innovations and
technologies that support sustainable food systems transformation.

Other achievements in 2023 included the launch of the revamped Mohammed bin

Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award, and the 4th Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Global Water Award.

The backbone of several MBRGI projects and initiatives, the Empowering Communities
pillar benefited 3.4 million people during 2023, compared to 2.3 million beneficiaries in

2022, with total spending amounting to AED 87.2 million.

Projects under this pillar included further efforts by the Mohammed bin Rashid School of

https://www.sharjah24.ae/en/Articles/2024/03/28/Mohammed-bin-Rashid-chairs-MBRGI-Board-
of-Trustees-meeting